Philadelphia's Clerk of Quarter Sessions Vivian T. Miller Resigns

Just halfway through her term, Vivian T. Miller is stepping down from her position as Clerk of Quarter Sessions after an Inquirer story last year revealed irregularities and mismanagement. Most notably, it was disclosed that one billion dollars in uncollected bail was owed by fugitives, for which there were no computer records documenting who owed and how much. But not to worry, the office will be supervised in the short term by first deputy Robin T. Jones. (Oh, did we mention that Jones is Miller's daughter?)

This was not the first time her office had come under scrutiny. City and state auditors over the years criticized Miller's financial management and record-keeping. Miller ignored their advice to hire a collection agency to recoup the bail money, as well as $280 million in fines, fees, and victim restitution. Early last year, Miller was accused by the president judge of Common Pleas Court, Pamela Dembe, of mishandling the financial accounts. Dembe ordered Miller to turn its books and fiscal operations over to the probation department, an order Miller defied. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille urged Dembe and Miller to work out a solution and seemingly defused the situation.

Miller, 74, held the office for 19 years and earned $112,000 a year. When first elected in 1991, she promised to upgrade accounting and financial-management practices, institute professional training and development programs for workers and to upgrade record-keeping procedures. This was never done. She planned to retire in January, 2012, enrolling in the DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Plan) program. Miller served as the 51st Ward's Democratic Ward leader. No stranger to controversy, she was an aide to U.S. Rep. Michael "Ozzie" Myers, who was convicted in a corruption scandal, and the City's Board of Ethics accused her of violating campaign finance law in her 2007 election. But people kept electing her to her Clerk position.

Quarter Sessions is one of four "row offices," which include the sheriff, the register of wills, and the city commissioners who supervise elections. Civic and government reform groups have long urged that the Quarter Sessions office, and remaining three row offices, be abolished and their functions be taken over by the city and courts. The Committee of Seventy issued a report in March 2009 calling for the abolition of the four row offices and the six elected officials who run them. The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) claims abolishing the four row offices would save $15 million a year.

In the meantime, according to Daniel Cantu-Hertzler, chair of the City's Solicitor's corporate and tax group, the effort to collect the one billion dollars in unpaid bail money remains stalled. This one billion dollars could pull Philadelphia right up out of the red. I find it reprehensible that while one billion dollars in unpaid bail is owed by fugitives or their bondspeople, and there is $430 million outstanding in property taxes, the mayor decides to tax sweetened drinks and impose a trash collection fee instead of going after the deadbeats who owe the City money. The people who pay their debts are, once again, being asked to pay for those who don't.

It is also reprehensible that people like Vivian T. Miller are eligible for DROP and city cars, and that she won't lose her pension, being that she's leaving in disgrace. City cars entail maintenance, insurance, gas and storage costs. Why shouldn't city officials use their own cars like everybody else in town? Our City Council members make $100,000 a year, and take a three-month summer break! Philadelphia city employees contribute less of their own money towards their medical benefits and pension than the private sector and most other large city governments.

There are undoubtedly many more Vivian T. Miller's working for the City of Philadelphia. And I have a huge problem with her daughter taking over her duties We need to pull out the weeds that are strangling our city budget, get city offices running efficiently and by responsible, reliable people, not 74-year old women whose daughters are their deputies. And the Mayor has to go after the deadbeats instead of the taxpayers. Because we taxpayers can easily become deadbeats when we refuse to pay a trash fee or help smuggle Pepsi in for our favorite neighborhood store -- we'll just join the ranks of all the other deadbeats and thieves who are thumbing their nose at the City. "Whadaya gonna do 'boud it!"

Sources: Phila. Inquirer; Philly.com